Reps Dismiss Petition Against NPA On N178bn Bad Debt

The House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions yesterday dismissed a petition against the managing director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA),  Brello Koko on N178 billion bad debt in the audited financial statement of the Authority in 2019.

A group under the auspices of the  Forum of non-governmental Organisations in Nigeria had petitioned the House of Representatives against the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA)  and the Managing Director ( Alhajj Mohammed Bello Koko) on the N178 billion provision made for the bad debt in the Audited Financial Statement of the agency.

However, at the resumption of the hearing on Wednesday, the group failed to appear before the committee to defend the allegation raised against the NPA.

Angered by the failure of the petitioner to appear before the Committee,  the Chairman of the Committee,  Mike Etaba, dismissed the petition for lack of merit, saying this is the sixth time that the petitioner will fail to appear before the committee to defend the petition.

“This is the sixth time and the petitioner has not been in this place. The case is hereby dismissed,” he said.

The petitioner had requested the management of NPA and the Managing Director, Alhaji Mohammed Koko be invited to address the growth of doubtful debt from N135 billion in 2018 to N173 billion.

The petition in part reads, “Our attention has been brought to the 2019 audited financial statement  of Nigeria Port Authority ( NPA) with special reference to Trade Accounts Receivable and the huge provision made for bad and doubtful debts.

“Whilst we note that the position in 2019 would significantly change by now, the poor quality of NPA’s trade receivable account is alarming and requires urgent attention. “